Can skipping breakfast affect learning?

Eating breakfast may be a little more important than we think. Many of us just roll out of bed and scurry out the door without ever setting foot in the kitchen. But, did you know that skipping breakfast can have a significant effect on your health? A new study posted by Circulation on the American Heart Association website states that men who skip breakfast have a 27% higher risk of CHD.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that women who skipped breakfast even once a week were 20 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who ate a meal every morning. One reason may be that by skipping breakfast people are more likely to overeat throughout the day. This behavior changes insulin sensitivity and can lead to diabetes.

As for the kids, breakfast has been linked, extensively, to better performance by children in the classroom, according at least to two studies performed by Tufts University psychologists on school children. Eating breakfast also helps control appetite, which allows kids to stay focused on learning throughout the day.

In his 2006 dissertation for Murdoch University on the relationship between breakfast and academic performance, Abdullah Khan reports that children who eat breakfast perform better on reading, arithmetic and problem-solving tests. Eating breakfast is linked to positive affects on endurance and creativity in the classroom, as well as better attendance and better classroom behavior and vigilance, which facilitates learning.

The kinds of food best in the morning or those that will help stabilize blood sugar and provide sustained energy. Researchers pointed to the importance of the mixture of protein, fiber and complex carbohydrates in the morning. Be smart and give yourself the best start to each day.